"Okay, we now know about the Warlords. Now we need a plan to get us into the Dynasty." Said Master Wildfire.
Master Strata looked to their younger counterparts and asked, "Any ideas Ronins?"
"Why don't we just rush in and blow them up?" asked Kento.
Master Hardrock shook his head and said, "Not good. There will probably be traps all over since our last encounter with the Dynasty. We need to know what we're going to do once we get inside."
The younger Ronins stared at Kento's older self and he winked at them and said, "All in attendance, you are dismissed to dinner."
Everyone but the Ronins and their Elder counterparts rose and said, "Good evening Masters."
The older Ronins nodded and sighed in relief when the door closed leaving them alone.
Elder Ryo slumped down into his chair and said, "I hate these things!"
Elder Sage smiled and said, "We all do my friend…we all do."
Elder Kento cleared his throat and said, "Okay now back to before I dismissed everyone. Our younger selves seemed a bit surprised…?"
"Yeah! I've only seen Kento go right at it without a plan at all!" exclaimed the younger Rowen.
Elder Kento smiled and said, "Lets just say after a thousand years, I've learned a few things about patience and other things. PLUS, parenthood is a test in patience itself. I have learned that safety comes first before anything else."
"Oh." Said his younger self.
"Okay now, when we get in?" asked younger Ryo.
"When Kento opens the gates, we'll go in first." Said his Elder self, "To make sure that it's safe for you all to come in."
"But!" exclaimed the younger Ronins.
"No now listen." Interrupted the older Ryo as he exclaimed, "If you go in first and something attacks you that could possible kill you…"
Elder Cye finished, "IF that something killed you, then WE wouldn't be here. Got it?"
Their younger selves nodded in agreement.
"But what'll happen if you die though?" asked the younger Sage.
"Hopefully we won't die. But in the event that we do, our wives will take our places as supreme guardians to this earth, and as such will act accordingly." Answered Ryo with a small smile.
"That's not what I meant! What about the children? How will they act when they find out their fathers are dead?" asked Sage.
"They know what we expect of them." began Cye as Rowen finished, "They can't fight right now, but they know enough to hold down the place until they are old enough to fight the Dynasty themselves."
"What about the unborn ones?" asked the younger Cye.
"They will be brought up as the other children have been brought up." Answered his older self.
The younger Ronins just shook their heads.
Their older selves laughed and Ryo asked, "You're wondering about them and their growing up without us in their lives?"
They nodded.
"They will just have to grow up without us I guess. The other children will help them grow and our wives will as well."
"But…"
"But we have no reason to die and yet every reason to live. We all have to see our children grow and see the births of our unborn children. There are still MANY years left for us. We won't go down so easily my friends." Answered Ryo as he ordered, "Suit up now!" Kento closed his eyes.
In a flash of orange light he was left standing in pure white armor with orange trimmings and silver trimmings under those. Upon his upper left torso was the familiar crescent moon and in his hand was ningunata posed to strike. It was exactly like his old armor, just white instead of burnt orange.
Kento looked at the doors with anticipation.
Cye closed his eyes. In a flash of light blue light he was left standing in pure white armor with light blue trimmings and silver trimmings under those. On his upper left torso was the familiar silver/black ying and yang symbol. In his hand was a trident in a striking position. His white armor was an exact replica of his old Torrent one and he seemed a bit dishearten.
Sage closed his eyes. In a
flash of green light he was left standing in a pure white armor with
green trimmings and gold trimmings under those. On his upper left
torso was the familiar thunderbolt symbol. Resting upon his shoulder
was his six-foot long no-dachi. His armor was exactly like his
younger selves green Halo armor. He had a grim look on his face that
said, 'Here we go again.'
Rowen closed his eyes at
the same time Sage did. In a flash of dark blue light he was left
standing in a pure white armor with dark blue trimmings and gold
trimmings under those. On the upper left side of his torso the
familiar arrowhead was seen. In his left hand was a golden bow with a
silver pact on his back. He white armor was the same as his old
Strata armor. His face mirrored Sage's, but his eyes also had a
dangerous glint in them.
Ryo closed his eyes. In a flash of ruby red light he was left standing in a pure white armor with ruby red trimmings and gold trimmings under those. On his upper left torso was the familiar four diamonds that formed the larger diamond. Upon his back, under his unruly black hair, was a pair of ruby red handles that were connected to two sharp katanas. His white armor looked more like the Inferno armor instead of his older Wildfire armor though. His face was one of determination and anger mixed together.
"Wow." The younger Ronins whispered as Mia took them all in, in case she need some information in HER future about them.
"Now you guys." Said Cye with a smile as their younger selves snapped out of their stupor.
"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE…DOA JIN!"
"ARMOR OF STRATA…DOA INOCHI!"
"ARMOR OF HALO…DOA CHI!"
"ARMOR OF TORRENT…DOA SHIN!"
"ARMOR OF HARDROCK…DOA GI!"
Ryo looked them over and said, "It's been almost five hundred years since we've seen those armors."
Sage nodded and said, "Yes is has been a while. Now, we'd better get going. The gates are right outside."
As they exited the Command Room, they saw ten children standing in front of them with tears in their eyes.
"DADDY!" they all cried out.
Ryo looked down as Hariel placed his chubby hands on his lower stomach.
"Daddy, you're not going are you?" he asked with wide, watery emerald eyes.
Ryo sighed and said, "I have to go and fight Hariel."
"But…but…"
"Don't cry my little man. Be strong. I'll be back don't worry okay?" asked Ryo as he gently whipped his son's face dry with his fingers.
He looked to his left as Hiko hugged him and said, "Please come back Daddy."
He hugged her and said as he looked into her tiger blue eyes much like his own, "I'll be back soon…I promise."
"You will?" she asked with pouty lip.
He smiled and asked, "Have I ever lied or broken a promise to you?"
She smiled, hugged him, and said, "No daddy. Be careful!"
He returned the hug and said to Hariel, "Now, you are going to be a strong little boy right?"
Hariel, with tears streaming down his chubby cheeks, nodded and said proudly, "I will daddy. I'll protect Hiko too!"
Ryo laughed, kissed him on the head, and said, "I bet you will. Now go back to the nursery you two."
Hiko grabbed Hariel's hand and as they walked off, they called back, "Good luck daddy!"
Sage took Yuri's smaller hands into his own larger ones and said, "Yuri, don't cry love. Daddy will be back soon. I promise."
She sniffled and asked, "You will?"
Sage smiled, looked into her sapphire eyes, and said as his hands glowed, "I promise Yuri, my little pumpkin seed."
Yuri smiled brightly and threw her arms around his head as she exclaimed, "I love you daddy!"
He chuckled and said, "And I love you, my little pumpkin seed."
He turned to Seiji and said, "You keep your little sister safe, understand me son?"
"Yes sir." Said Seiji as Sage smiled ruffled his hair and said, "Good boy."
He gave Seiji a quick hug and kissed Yuri on the head and said, "Now back to the nursery you two."
"Good luck daddy!" they exclaimed as they followed Hiko and Hariel.
Rowen and Kento bent down and gave Suki and Ariashi great big hugs and Rowen said, "You two watch out for each other understand?"
"Yes daddy." Answered Ariashi as she hugged Kento and said, "You'll be careful right Uncle Kento?"
Kento smiled gave her a sort kiss on her forehead and said, "You bet we will. Your daddy and I still have to teach you two all we know yet."
She smiled and said, "Love you daddy, Uncle Kento."
Suki, while she gave Rowen a big hug, asked, "Who do we get to watch over?"
Rowen smiled and said, "That's whom do we get to watch over and you can watch over each other. But you listen to your brothers okay?"
Suki and Ariashi nodded sadly as they gave their fathers each a kiss on the cheek. Rowen and Kento each kissed them on the foreheads and turned to their oldest children.
"Touma, you and Shuu watch out for your little sisters okay?" ordered Rowen as he placed his hands on one of their shoulders.
"Sure dad." Said Touma as Shuu exclaimed, "We'll take care of them Uncle Rowen don't sweat it!"
Rowen gave his son a hug and Kento did the same.
They hugged their daughters once more and Rowen ordered, "Okay you four off to the nursery now. Only come out when one of us comes to get you. Okay?"
The two nodded, grabbed their sister's hands and rushed after their friends.
Cye picked Kori up and said cheerfully, "Don't worry love! I'll be back soon I promise!"
"You promise?" she asked sadly.
Cye chuckled and said, "I just said that didn't I?"
Kori had a face that only five year olds could make, then brightened and said, "Yeah!"
Cye placed her back on the ground after he gave her a big hug and said, "Now kiss."
Kori closed her eyes and pecked Cye on the lips.
Cye patted her head and said, "Now be a big girl and no tears for mommy or me. We'll be fine all right?"
She nodded but still kept her grip on his armored leg as Shin moved forward. "Shin you have to watch out for your sister and keep an eye out on everyone else. You're the calmest of them and the oldest, so you keep them all in line okay?"
"Sure dad. Just come back all right." He replied as he gave his father a hug.
Cye returned it and said, "I will."
As Shin pulled Kori in the nursery direction, Ryo asked, "Where are the girls?"
His older self said, "Already fighting I'd assume. Come on."
They raced out of the castle and into the fight.
TBC
